The present invention relates to improvements in the apparatus and method set forth in the above prior application rendering the same even more efficient in the complete separation of bellies from the clam tongue or usable meat by a gentle and progressive process which does not mangle or otherwise damage the tongue.
As discussed in the prior application, the present invention seeks to avoid the damage to the delicate clam tongues inherent in the impact belly extraction system of the Carlson U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,344 and the similar damage caused by the high velocity fluid shearing evisceration process of the Marvin U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,112.
The present invention continues to utilize the rising product delivery tube having multiple bulbous enlargements and intervening constrictions through which the clams are propelled by suction developed near the top of this tube or conduit. While being forced through this delivery tube, each clam is subjected repetitively to a pulsating squeezing action at the constrictions followed by a sudden release into the bulbous enlargement beyond each constriction. In effect, the clams while being massaged or squeezed repeatedly are also decelerated and accelerated repeatedly when entering and passing beyond each constriction as fully developed in the prior application to gradually separate the bellies from the clam tongues prior to exiting from the top of the delivery tube.
The present invention includes the addition to the upper discharge end of the delivery tube of an acute angular elbow coupled between the delivery tube and the horizontal product discharge pipe leading to a decelerator and finally to a separating system for the bellies and undamaged clam tongues. The elbow contains a pair of oblique angular crossing fluid nozzles which create suction in the discharge branch of the elbow and develop a spinning action on the product in the horizontal discharge pipe. In passing through the abrupt elbow, each clam tongue is literally bent around the acute angular wall at the inner side of the elbow to further massage it. During such bending and massaging, the clam tongue substantially reverses its direction of travel and therefore has its velocity drastically reduced at the point of entry into the horizontal discharge branch of the elbow aligned with the horizontal product discharge pipe. At the moment of minimum velocity, each clam tongue is subjected to the full vacuum generated by the two crossing fluid nozzles in the elbow and any belly which might still be connected to a tongue is pulled by suction from the momentarily held-up tongue in the abrupt elbow.
In summation, the present invention assures gentle, complete and clean separation of the belly from practically every clam tongue in a continuous process by first subjecting the product to the repetitive squeezing massage action in the bulbous constricted delivery tube according to the prior application, followed by the abrupt bending massage action and abrupt deceleration in the elbow with simultaneous application of strong suction at or near the elbow outlet and the generation of a spinning stream in the horizontal discharge pipe leading from the elbow to decelerator and separator means.